Public Policy News

There is No Place Like Home... and Dorothy's Ruby Slippers | APPAM Leadership Blog Series

Having spent my childhood in Kansas, I’m all about Dorothy’s ruby slippers. There is in fact no place like home, and I’m proud to call APPAM my professional home for the past three plus decades. This will be APPAM’s 40th research conference—our ruby anniversary. Never has rigorous policy evidence been more important. We must continue to attract and support young professionals to grow and improve our field.

The importance of cybersecurity has reached new levels as the world becomes more connected. Cyber threats, security, and deterrence are now at the forefront and the landscape of policy must adapt to new realities. APPAM student members joined a panel of cybersecurity experts on July 25th to discuss the latest research and trends surrounding cybersecurity relevant to policy students. The panel addressed the core strategies and practices of cyber defense and security and what policy makers can do to effectively address emerging national security issues.

Students had the opportunity to learn from practitioners and academics specializing in cybersecurity on how the federal government and the private sector are responding to new cyber issues, how these issues are informing policy, and how policymakers are adapting to new cybersecurity challenges.

Antonio Scurlock, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, addressed the issue of how federal agencies are changing their policies to combat cybercrime, secure networks, and protect infrastructure at home. He also addresses how agencies are coordinating together in the wake of recent cyber security events.

Dr. Pommerening, Managing Partner, Novaturient LLC / Adjunct Professor, George Mason University, discussed current research in the field of cybersecurity and what methods are being taught to policy students. When asked how research is evolving, she responded “Cyberspace is not the Wild West. We’re progressing with regulation. It’s incremental though.”

Dr. Johnson and General Wilson completed the panel by discussing the risks involved in combating cyber threats. Dr. Johnson then posed this question to the group, “What's the best security the nation can afford with the lowest level of acceptable risk?" while General Wilson indicated just how large of scale cyber threats can be: "How do you defend not just computers but power grids, etc? The "attack surface" is vast."

There was unanimity among both experts and students that the topic is a growing concern, but with propoer coordination, methods, and regulation, cyber threats can be secured and deterred on the home front.

After a questions and answers session there was a networking session for students and panel participants.